Paswan says additional 7.4 lakh people given foodgrains under PMGKAY in Bihar, on top of 8.57 cr beneficiaries

Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Thursday said he has allotted foodgrains to an additional 7.4 lakh people in Bihar for free of cost distribution under the Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY).

Under this PMGKAY scheme, the Centre is providing 5 kg of foodgrains per person free of cost for three months. This is over and above 5 kg per person per month foodgrains distributed under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) to over 80 crore people in the country for Rs 2-3 per kg.

Only 8.57 crore beneficiaries have been brought so far under the NFSA in Bihar, as against 8.71 crore people who are eligible, Paswan said in a tweet.

The minister said he had already communicated this gap of 14 lakh to the state government on April 17.

The Bihar government, Paswan said, has sent a beneficiary list of an additional 7.4 lakh people and requested to allott free foodgrains under the PMGKAY scheme.

The minister said he immediately sanctioned allotment of foodgrains for these 7.4 lakh people.

Paswan also requested Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to include the 14 lakh people who still do not feature in the beneficiary list of the NFSA, so that they can get the subsidised foodgrains.